Nigel Farage faces fresh accusations of racism and bigotry within Reform after an undercover sting by ITV revealed a Board member admitting to racist behaviour, a councillor calling for the "machine gun" execution of grooming gang perpetrators, and an aspiring MP demanding "concentration camps" in Britain.
The footage, set to air in a 90-minute film, shows Reform's Board member Gawain Towler saying: "I was racist every single day against a friend.. I was racist every single day." Mr Towler told ITV that as a child he held views that were wrong and is appalled by them now.
Councillors' hard-line comments
The footage also shows two Reform councillors, Adam Parkins and David Kerr from Hounslow in West London, saying the party will become more "hard line" if it gains power. Mr Parkins said he would "quite happily do Sunday morning Rose Garden executions" for grooming gang perpetrators, while Mr Kerr, discussing immigration reversal, said "there's no way you're going to be able to even discuss a tenable solution without being called a f***ing Nazi."
Councillor Kerr did not respond to a request for comment, while Councillor Parkins said Reform policy is that grooming gangs should face the toughest possible sentences under British law, and that is his view.
Aspiring MP's remarks
The footage also shows aspiring Reform MP Jason Powell saying he had passed vetting checks, then stating the party should "build concentration camps" for anyone who comes to Britain across the Channel. He also said "you cannot be a Muslim and British." Mr Powell told ITV his views are those of British people in general and are not extremist.
Responding to the allegations, Bridget Phillipson MP, Chair of the Labour Party, said: "Bad apples don't fall far from the tree. The sleaze, scandals and appalling revelations of racism and rank misogyny piling up by the day go right to the top of Reform UK. Nigel Farage is incapable of taking responsibility and getting his house in order because he himself shares culpability."
Reform's response
In a statement Reform said: "Not all individuals covertly recorded by ITV are members of Reform UK. Where members, activists and councillors have clearly behaved inappropriately, investigations have commenced. In some cases, there have been suspensions and due process must be followed."
Reform added: "There is no room for racism in Reform UK. We always respect due process of investigations and whilst these are ongoing it would not be appropriate to comment on individual cases." The accusations are among those set to feature in the film Undercover: A Year In Reform, airing Sunday 18th October at 10.20pm on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player.
